So we know the battle on Mustafar left Anakin losing his limbs and getting burned afterward.
Have you ever imagined if Anakin didn’t get burned, would he still be as strong as Darth Vader or even stronger?
Here’s the theory: If Anakin didn’t get burned on Mustafar, he would be stronger than the Darth Vader we know.
Let’s see if my theory makes sense to you.
Without further ado…
What Anakin’s Body and Power Would Be Like If He Hadn’t Been Burned
We all know that after the battle on Mustafar with Obi-Wan, Anakin lost almost everything. The worst part was losing his limbs and suffering severe burns all over his body.
But what if the only injury Anakin sustained was losing his limbs, without the burns? Would he still be a strong Sith Lord? The answer is yes he would be even stronger than the Darth Vader we know.
Even without arms and legs, an unburned Vader would be incredibly strong. The burns are what truly weakened him, leaving him forever struggling.
The suit limited his movement and speed, and his damaged lungs meant he could never be outside of the suit.
Without the severe burns, Anakin would retain his full physical strength. Just like when Anakin lost his right arm to Count Dooku when Anakin was still Obi-Wan’s padawan.
Then later on during the mission saving Chancellor Palpatine, Anakin faces Dooku again, and even at one arm is a robotic mechanic, Anakin is still able to defeat Count Dooku.
So the true issue of Darth Vader after the battle is his burning body. The burning suffered severe burns and damage due to inhaling toxic gasses during. As a result, he needed a specialized mask and life-support system to breathe properly.
The suit limited his movement and speed, and his lungs limited any breathing or ever being outside of the suit.
So if Anakin or Darth Vader didn’t get burned, he wouldn’t need the mask, the only thing Anakin needs is robotic mechanical limbs to replace the losing ones.
Anakin’s Power if He Didn’t Get Burned
The limitations of Darth Vader’s suit are no longer a mystery. As Star Wars fans, we understand how the suit affected Vader.
The armor restricts his movements, making him less agile and reducing his combat effectiveness compared to his pre-suit state.
For example, in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series set 10 years after Revenge of the Sith (spoiler alert), we see Darth Vader face Obi-Wan for the first time while wearing the armor.
During their lightsaber duel in Episode 6, it is clear that Vader struggles to match Obi-Wan’s agility.
Vader only gains an advantage when he uses the dark side of the Force.
For instance, when Obi-Wan hurls a boulder at him, despite Obi-Wan being a powerful Jedi Master, Vader manages to push the boulder away, thwarting the attack.
However, Vader ultimately loses to Obi-Wan, not due to a lack of strength, but because he can’t keep up with Obi-Wan’s speed.
The final blow comes when Vader attempts to overpower Obi-Wan with the Force.
However, Obi-Wan anticipates his moves, dodges Vader’s attacks, and lands a decisive strike on Vader’s mask. Vader tries to defend himself, but his reactions are too slow.
The armor is both the source of Darth Vader’s power and his weakness. Palpatine designed it to fuel Vader’s hatred, making him more powerful.
However, it also limited his abilities. If Anakin hadn’t been burned on Mustafar, he wouldn’t need the life-support armor. He would still require mechanical limbs, but these wouldn’t pose a significant problem.
Adjusting to the robotic limbs wouldn’t be difficult for Vader, as he already had experience with his right arm.
Without the debilitating burns, he would retain his full physical strength, making him a much more formidable Sith Lord.